Rolex serial numbers

[Chris]

I have noticed when people sell watches they disguise part of the serial number. Yet if that same watch is stolen people are encouraged to display the full number. What is the difference between the 2 scenarios? TIA

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[georgekart]

You don't want people knowing SN of your watch unless you absolutely have to. For a watch being stolen, it is the only identifier. For a watch being sold, nobody should care what SN your watch has.

[Alex71168]

I guess it also stops fakers cloning a watch??

[joli160]

It’s all paranoia. No reason at all to hide a serial number.

[NebHusker23]

Well let's think about this scenario. Let's say I hide my SN to a dealer or some random buyer I found on Rolex Forum (let's say) who wants to buy one of my watches. If I still have a warranty on that watch, that person who bought the watch can go get a service done to it and the AD can simply find out that the watch belongs to me and I can lose my relationship with my AD. That's what I'm thinking.

[Alex71168]

Originally Posted by NebHusker23

Well let's think about this scenario. Let's say I hide my SN to a dealer or some random buyer I found on Rolex Forum (let's say) who wants to buy one of my watches. If I still have a warranty on that watch, that person who bought the watch can go get a service done to it and the AD can simply find out that the watch belongs to me and I can lose my relationship with my AD. That's what I'm thinking.

I would agree to a point as I do know that Rolex and ADs don’t like flippers and certainly WOS Group do have staff that look at watches for sale. So it could harm your relationship with them as they certainly won’t sell you another one if they found out!

At some point you may have to sell you watch as you may want a change or things change financially so you shouldn’t be penalised for this.

I agree though, I wouldn’t post it for any reason other than to warn if it was lost or stolen, why would you, more downsides than up.

[Driver8]

Originally Posted by Chris

I have noticed when people sell watches they disguise part of the serial number. Yet if that same watch is stolen people are encouraged to display the full number. What is the difference between the 2 scenarios? TIA

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I think once it's stolen then the horse has basically already bolted so the serial being made public will (hopefully) help track it down.

When it's just a picture being shown on here or elsewhere, then people disguise it to prevent it from being cloned on a fake. Whether that actually does any good or not is debatable, but I'm of the opinion that it can't possibly hurt to disguise it, so why not?

[Tools]

The biggest reason to block numbers is because of all of the forum "exerts" letting you know that your serial is showing.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by joli160

It’s all paranoia. No reason at all to hide a serial number.

I think i intend to agree with you and Tools. Surely all serial numbers are known, people have compiled tables for people to date watches.

[Driver8]

Originally Posted by Chris

I think i intend to agree with you and Tools. Surely all serial numbers are known, people have compiled tables for people to date watches.

You can only date a watch by its serial up to around 2010. After that they are random.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Driver8

You can only date a watch by its serial up to around 2010. After that they are random.

Well then surely only watches after 2010 should have hidden serial numbers.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by georgekart

You don't want people knowing SN of your watch unless you absolutely have to. For a watch being stolen, it is the only identifier. For a watch being sold, nobody should care what SN your watch has.

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